Rockstar Updates ‘GTA 5’ After Content Was Deemed To Be Transphobic

Rockstar Games’ action-adventure classic Grand Theft Auto V is no stranger to change. Originally released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2013, the game has received multiple new-gen updates over the years, with the most recent being March’s re-release for both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Whilst Grand Theft Auto V was largely well received, it did stir a number of controversies - namely over its use of torture and treatment of women. Journalist Carolyn Petit was bombarded with negative comments after calling out the game’s misogyny, whilst US retail giant Target pulled the game from its shelves. However, Grand Theft Auto V’s transphobic content has only come to light much more recently.

See how the new-gen version of Grand Theft Auto V compares to its PlayStation 3 counterpart below.

Twitter user kirstycloud pointed out that in new-gen versions of Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar had “disabled the trans caricatures or ‘drag queens’ from spawning outside of Cockatoos.” She went on to note that whilst these NPCs are still present in Director Mode, dialogue options have been turned off which previously allowed characters to question NPCs over their use of hormones.

Reddit user jayprospero also noted that an in-game arcade prop had been edited. The Captain Spacetoy figurine previously came with “interchangeable genitalia.” This is now no longer the case.

In new-gen GTAV/GTAO, Rockstar appear to have disabled the trans caricatures or “drag queens” from spawning outside Cockatoos. This could be following a plea from OutMakingGames last year. I hope this provides comfort to anyone who felt these NPCs depicted harmful stereotypes 🏳️‍⚧️

— Kirsty Cloud (@kirstycloud) April 8, 2022

In September 2021, OutMakingGames (a UK-based collective of LGBTQIA+ games professionals) published an open letter to developer Rockstar Games, calling for the studio to reflect on the game’s depiction of “trans and gender diverse people”. They deemed the game to promote “extremely harmful stereotypes” which encouraged “players to be repulsed by them and even to relish hurting and killing them”.

Rockstar have not commented on the changes and it’s yet to be seen if this update will later eventually hit older versions of Grand Theft Auto V.